


all of the while, I never knew (it was you)

by torkz



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bitty's Valentines, First Dates, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, coffee shop owner Dex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 09:25:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13678872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torkz/pseuds/torkz
Summary: I hope you enjoyed this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for the prompt, and Happy Valentine's Day!title is lyrics from falling in love at a coffeeshop by Landon Pigg, I never claimed to be clever y'all





	all of the while, I never knew (it was you)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Oddree13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oddree13/gifts).



> I hope you enjoyed this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for the prompt, and Happy Valentine's Day!
> 
> title is lyrics from falling in love at a coffeeshop by Landon Pigg, I never claimed to be clever y'all

Derek Nurse is having a rough morning. He wakes up late for his conference call with his editor and publisher after being sick the previous night, he makes his deadline by seconds for a paper even though it’s been done for days, and he trips over his cat and makes her cry. That’s bound to happen, but it always makes him feel terrible when it does. He decides to continue with his routine of heading to Espresso Lane to sit in his favorite chair in the corner with a good book or his headphones and let it heal him. He likes Espresso Lane because it’s close enough that he can walk there, and the atmosphere is unmatched. They play hip hop jazz instrumentals instead of generic top forties, which matches the woodsy feel of the space.

He throws on a hat and his favorite hoodie, dons his earbuds, and heads out, lowkey hoping that his favorite barista is there. Kioni is bright and joyful and never fails to make Derek smile. Kioni usually works on Wednesdays, so the prospect of seeing his friend puts a bit of a skip in his step. He pushes the door open and breathes deep, choking on it a little when he notices the man at the counter.

He’s been coming to this coffee shop every morning for 6 months, and he has never seen this man before, and that wouldn’t be a big deal, except for the fact that he is one of the most attractive men Derek has ever seen. He’s wearing a navy button up shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and the first button undone, partnered with a nice pair of jeans that looked well loved. His smile is small but friendly as he takes the order of the customer in front of him. Derek is trying not to stare, but that red hair and those broad shoulders are doing something to him, and he’s intrigued by how this guy managed to get around the uniform at his place of work. He’s nervous, somehow, to talk to this beautiful man, and he inhales the scent of coffee and takes a deep breath, reciting his order a couple of times in his head on the off chance he gets it wrong.

He doesn’t feel ready when he steps up to the counter and Mr. Button Up turns that small smile on him. Now that he’s up close, Derek can see how his amber eyes are framed by sprinkled freckles and his tongue dries up in his mouth.

“Hi, how can I help you?” the guy says- Will, if his name tag is to be believed.

His voice is all gruff friendliness, as though he’s only just getting the hang of being customer service pleasant. Derek thinks he can hear the slight lilt of an accent. Maine, maybe? Whatever it is, it fits him like a glove, and Derek blanks when he hears it.

“Can I get uhhh--” Derek says, and then stares at the guy helplessly.

The small smile widens just a little and Derek tries not to die. His smile is really pretty.

“Need some help deciding?” Will asks, and before Derek can respond, Kioni walks out from the door behind the counter.

“Hey daddy, looking fine as hell, as always. You want your usual?” he says brightly, and turns to start making it before Nursey can answer.

Will looks between them with an amused smile. “You’ve been here enough to have a usual?”

“Yeah,” Derek coughs. “I’m in here like every day? Sometimes more than once?”

“Well then, it’s probably about time I meet one of my best customers,” Will says and holds out his hand. “William Poindexter, I own the place.” 

“I’m Derek. With the amount of money I’ve spent here, I probably fund the place.”

Will laughs, and Derek falls a little in love with him. His handshake is firm and his skin is soft and rough at the same time, and Derek thinks they’re hands that have worked and labored, hands that are strong and kind. He hopes that his blush isn’t obvious.

“What’s your usual, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Oh, uh. Caramel macchiato with an extra couple pumps and an extra shot. Sometimes I get something from your pastry case, depending.”

“Caramel macchiato is a good choice. Sweet enough to neutralize the bitterness and acidity of the coffee, but not so sweet that you can’t taste the blend,” Will says, nodding approvingly.

“What about you? Do you have a usual?” Derek asks.

“Not really, but I am partial to a good french vanilla latte,” Will says.

Kioni comes back then with Derek’s coffee made perfectly. Derek asks for an apple tart before he can talk himself out of it. Kioni warms it up while Will rings it out, and before he can object, Will’s zeroed out his order.

“You didn’t have to do that, I want to give you my money,” Derek protests.

“We’ll just say that you got a free order coupon for being such a loyal customer,” Will says with a wink.

Derek laughs brightly. “Well, why don’t you repay me by sitting with me for a few minutes? Bosses get breaks, right?”

“Bosses do get breaks, as long as their baristas are cool with manning the counter,” Will says, and Kioni waves him away happily.

Will follows Derek to his favorite table in the corner, sitting across from him, looking pleasantly surprised.

“I can honestly say that no one has ever invited me for a drink at my own coffee shop,” He says. 

“I’m honored to be the first,” Derek laughs, sounding delighted. “Though if I’m being honest, my request was purely selfish.”

 Will puts his head in his hand on the table and makes an inquisitive noise, and God, no one that gruff has any right to look so damn sweet.

“I’m curious where you got the name for this place. It’s a feat of creative genius,” He says dramatically, and takes a bite of his tart before he can say something else embarrassing.

“Oh, well, the street I grew up on is Express Lane, and I used to call espressos expressos like every other human in the world and I just connected the dots and thought it sounded cool. Plus, my mom was a huge lover of coffee before she passed and I wanted to pay homage to her,” Will answers, and his smile is the kind of sad that comes from missing someone you’re used to being without.

“I’m sorry about your mom,” Derek says. “Did she get a chance to see your place?”

“She did,” Will says, and he sounds proud. “Thank you for asking, by the way. I don’t get to talk about the name as much as I want.”

“Thanks for telling me,” Derek says around the bite he just took.

“You’re welcome,” Will laughs. “I’m glad you like the tart, I’ll have to tell Bitty, my baker.”

“Oh my God, I could kiss them! Do they make everything?”

“Oh, no, he doesn’t make everything,” Will says with a blush.

“You bake too? A man after my own heart,” Derek says.

“I’d like to be,” Will says smoothly, and now it’s Derek’s turn to blush.

“Listen, I have to go back to work, but I think I would be very sad to find that another six months have passed before I’ve seen you. Would you like to get drinks sometime?” Will asks.

Derek is nodding before he finishes his question, much to Will’s amusement. He grabs Derek’s to go cup and scrawls his number with a sharpie he had tucked into his shirt pocket. 

“I’d tell you to come back anytime, but I don’t really have to worry about that, do I?” Will stands with a smirk, and Derek blushes.

“I guess you don’t,” Derek says and waves at him shyly.

He rubs his thumb over the black letters and smiles into his cup. A caramel macchiato has never tasted so good.

**Author's Note:**

> you know the drill, leave me a comment and come visit me on [Tumblr!](https://oluranurse.tumblr.com)


End file.
